To all intents and purposes, their weights are quite similar though and we don’t feel this is a significant differentiator. The pole version weighs 17.6kg and the airbeam version is 19.7kg – a difference of 2.1kg. In terms of packed weight, the airbeam tents are often very slightly heavier by a few kg than the equivalent pole tent – for example the well known Kampa Hayling 4 tent comes in both pole and airbeam versions. We feel that the ease of use outweighs the slightly higher cost. It is true that the inflatable tents are typically slightly more expensive than their pole-based siblings, but the price differential is reducing as the technology gets more mature. It can also require quite alot of strength to secure the bent pole using a pin anchor at each end.Īirbeam tents certainly have less bits in the bag to lose, and are often backed up by a lifetime guarantee against leaks and punctures – however, repairs are fairly easy to fix yourself – think of a bike puncture repair kit. Pole tents on the other hand require a process of a) searching through a bag for the folded poles, b) unfolding the poles (often many metres in length) and then c) painstakingly threading them through the tent before trying to bend them and secure them into shape. This is because the inflatable struts come ready-integrated into the body of the tent and simply require the attachment of a pump to a valve on each airbeam. Perhaps the most important advantage of ‘airbeam’ tents is that they can be set up more quickly and easily than pole tents. Advantages and Disadvantages of Inflatable Tents In this article we outline the main considerations to look for when choosing the best inflatable tent to cater for your particular needs. The old ‘bendy pole technology’ which could sometimes be fiddly to set up for large family tents (not to mention the risk of pole-snapping) is slowly getting superseded by tents using easy-to-inflate air pipes instead. We originally bought an Infinity 800 in 2011 to replace an aging Khyam, which we loved but was just too heavy and cumbersome to put up and take down.The times have been changin’ in the world of tents in recent years. We didn't use our new tent until May 2012 and it leaked like a sieve! With a week of the guarantee still to go our supplier changed it without a murmur of dissent! We used the new 2012 model for the first time on a family holiday in very wet and windy conditions in Cornwall that summer and it was brilliant the best tent we have ever had. It was warm and cosy and very comfortable. We had twigged that the awning was never going to fit tightly enough to be weather proof, but was necessary to keep the main tent dry in poor weather when both ends of the main tent are required for sleeping accommodation, and so had replaced the awning footprint with a woven tent carpet which lets any water soak away, yet is fine for bare feet and sitting out on. We are just off to Southern Ireland this year and I have no doubts that our tent will be fantastic! It was great again for a much warmer holiday in Northumberland the following summer in 2013. I think you need to think about how you want to use your camping accommodation. We have 2 teens and a newly twenty something and they all still want to spend all or some of the family holiday camping with us, sometimes with friends, and have done so for years. We use the main tent for sleeping mainly or as a space for some solo down time/reading. The awing we use as a sitting room and also for storing wet boots and gear to keep the main tent clean and dry, and for drying towels/coats etc. We have a small Vango event tent for our camp kitchen and table – a third bright space which is weather and insect proof. This always works brilliantly, especially if the weather is bad, because we have a table in it for meals and playing games and gives you an extra room to get away from being stuck in just one tent. It also keeps condensation out of the main tent from cooking, as does using the awing for drying stuff and keeping the main door closed in damp weather. We have never had a condensation problem in the main tent. I have some cheap stacking stools from Ikea which go upside down in the boot of the car and have the event tent packed upright in the middle to save space. They all fit upright under the table to give more room when you are cooking, unlike folding chairs, which get in the way.